


bluff

by poalimal



Series: WIP Amnesty [15]
Category: Black Panther (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - T'Challa Goes to Howard, Homophobia, Internalised Homophobia, M/M, Prejudice, Violence, Xenophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-07
Updated: 2018-07-07
Packaged: 2020-06-24 15:12:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19726195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poalimal/pseuds/poalimal
Summary: Between the two of us it is not a matter of need, but a matter of choice.





	1. Chapter 1

'Nah, I don't do that gay shit.'

At first T'Challa thought he'd misunderstood - perhaps it was another one of Erik's strange American jokes? - but then Devon and Mink fell over themselves laughing. And T'Challa found himself surrounded by a wall of strangers.

'Look, man, it might be different in _Africa_ ,' said Bryan, never able to resist a dig, 'but men don't dance with each other over here. Not straight ones anyway.'

And once again, in a completely irrelevant context, he came up hard against this absurd barrier. 'Is that so,' T'Challa said, sighing.

'Are you sulking?' said Devon, sing-song. 'Aw, look, Erik, he really wanted to dance with you--'

'Man, just shut up,' Erik muttered. T'Challa would not return his gaze.

'Ho now!' said Bryan, clearly delighted. 'I think Pretty Rickie wants to dance with him, too!' And he jostled Erik roughly. 'You do, don't you--' Mink started making exaggerated kissing noises.

'--ing for a li'l bump 'n grind? said Devon, on Erik's other side. Erik rolled his eyes and huffed out a laugh. For this all amused him.

'Hm,' said Lucian, stroking his beard. 'I'll dance with you.' And he looked straight at T'Challa.

T'Challa blinked, then peered at Lucian carefully. Was this a part of the mockery, too? The others gave no tell either way. Devon was busy downing his fourth drink, Mink was giggling nervously, and Erik - Erik looked like he was about to burst out into laughter.

And T'Challa, in spite of everything, was still not used to being laughed at. 'No, thank you,' he said finally, ashamed. Lucian shrugged.

'Aw, c'mon, Teacakes,' said Bryan, eyes glinting. 'You gonna leave my bro hanging? He's being real nice.'

T'Challa decided he had no more interest in playing this unwinnable men's game. 'I am tired of this,' he said, sighing, pressing the precise number of notes his foul drink had cost onto the table. 'I am leaving.'

'Aw, c'mon, bruh,' said Bryan, delighted. 'We were just joking!'

'Seriously,' said Erik, 'chill out.'

And that was enough for T'Challa. He had a paper he could be editing. He stood to leave.

Lucian stood to his feet, too. 'I'll walk you,' he said shortly, leaving a few notes on the table, even though he hadn't drunk anything.

They walked without speaking to the exit as the rest of the group hooted after them. The nights were getting cooler. Always a tricky thing to figure out the correct covering, T'Challa thought, as he always did. A sudden shiver caught him unawares and he was suddenly furiously, terribly heartsick.

What a waste, he thought, to be in America!


	2. Chapter 2

'You gonna let me in?' Erik said quietly.

T'Challa regarded him without words. He had not, by the look of him, gotten much sleep. He had, however, obtained two coffees.

'I have already had my breakfast,' said T'Challa. 'I do not need a coffee from you.'

Erik chuckled tiredly. 'I know you don't need nothin from me,' he said. 'C'mon, T - let me in.'

T'Challa tilted his head, and tried to understand.

'Everyone needs something from everyone else,' he said. 'Even strangers. But you and I are not strangers, Erik. Between the two of us it is not a matter of need, but a matter of choice.'

A door down the hallway slammed - the sound of laughter, far-off, and getting further away. But Erik's face froze up entirely.

'I hear what you're saying,' he said carefully, with that terrible blank expression. 'But can we please finish the rest of this conversation inside?' He tried out a small smile. 'Coffee's gonna get cold.'

T'Challa reached out to take one of the coffees from him - but Erik flinched away and stepped back, glancing keenly up and down the hallway. Perhaps he thought T'Challa was going to try and touch him.

'I think I must scare you,' T'Challa observed, 'the way you always run away.'

Erik clenched his jaw. 'Who's runnin?' he said, still trying to hold onto his smile. 'I'm here, ain't I?'

T'Challa felt a surge of affection for Erik's sheer bullheadedness. 'Erik, you do not even want to be seen standing outside my door,' he said gently. 'Whatever you think you owe me-- you owe yourself more. Do you understand? I don't know how to understand all this fear, all this hiding. To me, loving you is a simple thing. And I want to share it. But I am scaring you.'

Erik tilted his head back and looked at T'Challa coolly. 'So what? What's that mean?' he said.

T'Challa drank in the sight of him hungrily, one last time. For after this, there would be no returning to a halfway point. 'I think you should go,' he said, very quietly.

Erik nodded shortly. 'That's what you want?' he asked shortly. 'Then I'm gone.' And he tossed the coffees to the ground. T'Challa had to jump back so his feet were not scalded.

'Hey, man, that's no way to--' said Lucian, from the couch. The change in Erik's face was horrifying to see. T'Challa tried to shut the door, but Erik was too fast, and shoved his way in. He stopped short at the sight of Lucian, and looked back at T'Challa with narrowed eyes.

'What the _fuck_ is he doing here,' he said. And then he was in Lucian's face. 'The fuck is up? Huh? Ain't you fuckin' married, bitch?' Lucian just laughed in his face. Bast save him from these bloody American men!

'Erik,' T'Challa hissed, trying to press in between them, 'this is not--He just slept over. We did nothing.'

But Erik was not listening, just shaking his head bitterly. 'All that bullshit about scaring me off, when really, you're just tryna get as much dick as you can.'

'Hey, now--' said Lucian.

'And so what if I was!' T'Challa snapped, blinking fast. 'You do not own me, Erik. You do not even want me when others are around. I am free to do what I wish, with whomever I wish, whenever I wish. It is no longer your--' Erik hauled off and punched Lucian straight in the face. '--concern! Erik! Get off him! Erik-- Erik-- _please_ \--'


End file.
